Phaya Mengrai district
District of Thailand
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phaya Mengrai (Thai: พญาเม็งราย, pronounced [pʰā.jāː mēŋ.rāːj]; Northern Thai: ᨻᩕ᩠ᨿᩣᨾᩢ᩠ᨦᩁᩣ᩠ᨿ, pronounced [pʰā.ɲāː māŋ.hāːj]) is a district (amphoe) of Chiang Rai province, northern Thailand.
Phaya Mengrai
พญาเม็งราย | |
|---|---|
Chedi, Phaya Mengrai | |
 District location in Chiang Rai province | |
| Coordinates: 19°50′56″N 100°9′13″E | |
| Country | Thailand |
| Province | Chiang Rai |
| Seat | Mengrai |
| Area | |
• Total | 620.0 km2 (239.4 sq mi) |
| Population (2005) | |
• Total | 41,972 |
| • Density | 67.7/km2 (175/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+7 (ICT) |
| Postal code | 57290 |
| Geocode | 5712 |
Geography
Neighboring districts are (from the west clockwise): Wiang Chai, Wiang Chiang Rung, Chiang Khong, Khun Tan and Thoeng of Chiang Rai Province.
History
The minor district (king amphoe) was created on 5 May 1981, when the three tambons Mae Pao, Mae Tam, and Mai Ya were split off from Thoeng district.[1] It was upgraded to a full district on 12 August 1987.[2]
Etymology
Economy
Tambon Phay Mengrai is the site of a 2,700 rai Cavindish banana plantation owned and operated by the Chinese firm, Hongta International, a major local employer. The Cavendish banana is controversial as its cultivation requires the intensive use of chemical pesticides to yield harvests for export.[3] The Mekong-Lanna nature conservation network has accused the Chinese plantation of heavy use of pesticides and excessive water takings from Mae Ing Creek. These charges are as yet unsubstantiated (2016).[4]
Administration
The district is divided into five sub-districts (tambons), which are further subdivided into 69 villages (mubans). Phaya Mengrai is a township (thesaban tambon) which covers parts of tambons Mengrai and Mae Pao. There are a further five tambon administrative organizations (TAO).
